After
Monday night's debacle against Baltimore at the $1.6 billion New
Meadowlands Stadium, it may be time to teach the team's offense a few
new tricks, too. Acting like real football players would be a good
start.

But you can't win with an
offense that is barely functional. And you're certainly not going to win
if your best offensive player continues to be - as it was on this night
- an aging running back the San Diego Chargers discarded like last
week's trash.

For weeks now, Ryan and his
merry band of pranksters had the NFL's big stage all to themselves. They
talked trash, acted big, and dared anyone in their way to do anything
about it.

Staten Island Advance/ Rich KaneThe Jets' problems shifted to on the field Monday night, where their offense, including Brad Smith (16) couldn't do anything against the Ravens defense.

When it came time to actually
perform, though, they were undisciplined, unprepared, and unable to do
even the simplest things on the offensive side of the ball.

"It
wasn't our best day, but they earned it," Ryan said. "They beat us
probably in every statistical category there is except turnovers."

Credit
the Ravens' punishing defense for some of that. When Ray Lewis and
company come after you, even the most cohesive offenses can suddenly
turn shaky.

But, like the new stadium, this
team was supposed to be a lot better. Ryan kept promising everyone who
would listen they would be, and a lot of people bought into it.

None of them, however, were wearing purple on this night. They knew an act when they saw one.

"I
told him that the beast he's created, he's got to deal with," said the
Ravens' Terrell Suggs, who played under Ryan when he was a defense
coordinator in Baltimore. "All respect to him. I love him with all my
heart, but they got to deal with us this year."

The
Jets also had to deal with a distraction worthy of a "Hard Knocks"
episode all by itself. Ines Sainz, of Mexico's TV Azteca, said on her
Twitter account that she felt "very uncomfortable!" on Saturday when she
went to the team's locker room to interview quarterback Mark Sanchez
and was greeted by catcalls from players.

By
game day, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had gotten involved, and Jets
owner Woody Johnson called Sainz to assure her it wouldn't happen again.
There were plans to sit the team down and teach them how to act
properly when others were in the locker room, and Ryan had to answer
questions about it after the game.

But that
doesn't explain the ineptness of an offense that gained just six first
downs. It doesn't account for Sanchez throwing for a mere 74 yards.

And it's certainly no excuse for a team playing so undisciplined it was called for 10 penalties in the first half alone.

The
penalties can be corrected. Despite all the love given Sanchez by Jets
fans, though, the jury is still out on how good a quarterback he will be
in only his second year in the NFL.

Unfortunately
for the Jets, they now have a short week before facing a New England
team that looked a lot like the Patriots of old in its opener. If they
can't fix their mistakes, they will suddenly be 0-2 with their next two
games on the road.

Ryan understands there is a sense of urgency in a season that lasts only 16 games. He has to be concerned about the offense.

He
said after the game that he has confidence in every man in the locker
room. But this is a coach who apparently can't even keep his players
under control in the locker room.

Good things may eventually happen for the Jets. Good times may eventually come.

Suggs, though, was right. Ryan created the beast and he's ultimately responsible for what becomes of it.

One thing is for sure after the events of the last few days: Now is the time to whip it into shape.